Holiday Gift Guide: Your man

Guest blogger Jay Cridlin from Soundcheck is here to tell us about what to get the dude in our life. Take it away, Jay!

Men are primitive creatures. We like gadgets. We like denim. We like arguing about fantasy football and the ugliest baseball player of all time (we still say it’s Gary Gaetti, dammit!). And when it comes to gift-getting, we’re accustomed to our ladyfriends keeping things simple — money clips, cologne, gift cards, dress shirts and so on. But if you dare to venture outside Dillard’s this holiday season, here are three unique gifts that might make him smile.

Cheap: There’s no maybe about it: If your guy is between the ages of 25 and 50, he owned baseball cards. If he’s into sports, he’s still got ’em filed away in his childhood bedroom, even though he probably hasn’t bought a new pack in 10 years. But trust us, the enjoyment of sifting through a fresh pack for the latest hot rookie card is hardwired into his brain. For $20, pick up a handful of packs as stocking stuffers, and watch his face light up with nostalgia. We recommend the whimsical 2010 Topps Allen & Ginter, which retails for $6 a pack and features quirky subsets like “World’s Greatest Wordsmiths,” “Monsters of the Mesozoic” and even “DNA Hair Relics,” featuring snippets of fuzz from Charles Dickens, Abraham Lincoln and others. Buy yourself a pack, too, and maybe you can trade your Evan Longoria for his Edgar Allen Poe. Triple Play Sports Cards and Memorabilia, 2219 S Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa; (813) 831-0652, tripleplaytampa.com.

Mid-range: I’m a classy guy, with a capital C and dollar signs in place of each S. That’s why when I wear a tie, I tack on a tie clip to keep things in place. New ones are sleek, flashy and available at some department stores and menswear shops, but for something with a little more flair, try your nearest antique shop or vintage clothing store. I’ve always enjoyed the quirky selection at ARTpool in St. Petersburg — this handsome geese-based number comes with matching cufflinks and retails for $45. Nothing says class like a chest full of lake fowl. ARTpool Gallery, 919 First Ave. N, St. Petersburg; (727) 324-3878; artpoolrules.com.

Pricey: Of-the-month clubs are so hacky. But a mug club? That, we can dig — especially if it’s at Tampa Bay Brewing Company, proud producers of some of the best beer, burgers and pizza in Ybor City. The TBBC Mug Club is $55 for new members, and entitles cardholders to discounts on beer, food and merchandise, plus a T-shirt and your very own mug, which you can decorate and hang on the walls of the brewhouse. Unfortunately, the pub is out of mugs at the moment, but general manager Ryan Kelly said they’re expecting a new shipment soon, and new members will be notified when they arrive. Stop by to sign up your guy, and on your next casual date night, you’ll both reap the rewards. Tampa Bay Brewing Company, 1600 E Eighth Ave., Suite 123, Tampa; (813) 247-1422, tampabaybrewingcompany.com.

About the bloggers

Looking for shopping deals in Tampa Bay? The Deal Divas are on the prowl, sniffing out hot fashion finds that won't leave your wallet in ruins. Now you never have to miss a shopping deal! Check in often for the lowdown on local bargains, as well as fashion advice, fun photos and style news. Disclaimer: The content of this blog is produced by the editorial staff of the Times and is not tied to advertising. Email us ideas you'd like us to write about.

Stephanie Hayes, addicted to heels for 15 years, has been experimenting with ballet flats, boots and cute sneakers lately. Her poor, tired feet thank her. She can never get enough animal print, and her eye shadow collection has become a bit of a hoard. While other kids were reciting multiplication tables, she was learning to calculate an extra third off the half-price discount during buy-one-get-one week. She knows a healthy swipe of red lipstick can make any outfit better. She can be reached at (727) 893-8716 or shayes@tampabay.com.

Katie Sanders foolishly spurned pretty dresses and shoes as a child, tossing new clothes over her shoulder at birthday parties with a totally rude "no, thank you." Her drab days of monocolor outfits are over now, and she certainly knows better than to turn down free stuff. Her wardrobe mixes classic with quirk. Think blazers with statement necklaces, and lots of patterned ballet flats. She can be reached at (727) 893-8037 or ksanders@tampabay.com.

A compulsive deal scourer, Michelle Stark is trying to evolve her style philosophy from grab-it-because-it's-cheap-and-worry-if-it-fits later to one that embraces quality staples and more color. When it comes to her closet, it's generally still quantity over quality, but she recently splurged on a treasured pair of Lucky jeans. Progress! Her style leans toward classically cutesy - think Loft, The Limited and Banana Republic, blouses with bows, blazers with polka dots and all the skinny jeans in sight. But she never turns down a trip to a thrift store, or JC Penney. Her greatest sartorial sale achievement was finding her senior prom dress on clearance for $20. She can be reached at (727) 893-8829 or mstark@tampabay.com.

Kathryn Varn spends most of her fashion energy at thrift stores, flea markets and sale racks at the mall. Her style has ranged from "preppy Hollister defender" to "eclectic hippie aunt," but she has since landed on "vintage career woman who wears sun dresses on the weekends." Her proudest secondhand find was a 1950s blue tea length skirt dotted with sunflowers from Brooklyn Flea, but there will always be a special place in her heart for the pair of high-waisted Levis she cut into jorts during college. Her closet is full of fur-fringed coats from her grandmother, and maybe one day, she'll live in a place cold enough to actually wear them. She can be reached at (727) 893-8913 or kvarn@tampabay.com.

Katherine Snow Smith’s closet is filled with colorful patterns from a Lilly halter with pink and yellow giraffes to a maxi dress with oversized flowers and peace signs. She likes many styles — bohemian, preppy, vintage, classic — as long they’re unique and on sale. She’ll splurge at Saks or Anne Fontaine but favorite spots are T.J. Maxx and consignment stores. Her best purchase? A one-sleeve kaleidoscope-print Valentino blouse from the Sloan Kettering hospital resale shop in New York. (Legend has it Jackie O. used to drop her discards there.) When Katherine was 14 she bought a $29 oversized, velvet-covered anthology of Oscar fashion. She can be reached at (727) 409-3642 or kssmith@tampabay.com.

Lisa Gartner grew up wearing her older brother's clothes (hey Dan!) and kind of never stopped: She still has a few of his button-downs hanging in her closet; luckily his No Fear shirts have been lost to time and sense. A reformed tomboy, Lisa likes to mix masculine and feminine pieces. Her work look is, more often than not, Oxfords with pencil skirts. She owns more baggy sweaters than there are days below 70 degrees in Florida. The bags under her eyes are knock-offs. She can be reached at (727) 893-8707 or lgartner@tampabay.com.

Maggie Duffy got her love for fashion from her mama, and her mama's mama. While she's fond of wearing jewelry handmade by artists, you'll often catch her rocking $1.50 bamboo doorknocker earrings. Bamboo is actually a big motif in her style. Her love of color is evidenced by the many iterations of her hair, which she's having a blast with. She thought her sneaker game was on point until a recent trip where she saw just what she's been missing, so she's resigned herself to work that out. Her personal style can be described as street meets sweet. Years of working retail taught her never to buy full price. She can be reached at (727) 893-8572 or mduffy@tampabay.com.